Since 2000, the band has played concerts around the U.S.A. and Europe, and has made numerous television appearances, including performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Fox News Channel, CNN, and as the house band on NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly and MTV's Say What? Karaoke series.
Richard Cheese text taken from Wikipedia.
Holiday In Cambodia
Richard Cheese Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you know you've seen it all
In daddy's car thinkin' you'll go far
Back east your type don't crawl
Play ethnicky jazz to parade your snazz
On your five grand stereo
Braggin that you know how the niggers feel cold
And the slums got so much soul
It's time to taste what you most fear
Right Guard will not help you here
Brace yourself, my dear
It's a holiday in Cambodia
It's tough kid, but it's life
It's a holiday in Cambodia
Don't forget to pack a wife
Is a holiday in Cambodia
Where people dress in black
A holiday in Cambodia
Where you'll kiss ass or crack
Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot [etc.]
And it's a holiday in Cambodia
Where you'll do what you're told
A holiday in Cambodia
Where the slums got so much soul
The above lyrics are from Richard Cheese's cover version of The Dead Kennedys' Holiday In Cambodia, which was originally released in 1980. The song is a satirical critique of the privileged American youth who go to college, study about the world, and then go on about the third world experiences with a sense of entitlement. The song's narrator highlights the paradoxical notion of empathizing with the poor and marginalized while keeping them at an arms-length distance, all the while enjoying the privileges of an affluent and sheltered life. The reference to "play ethnicky jazz to parade your snazz" suggests that the singer is mocking the superficial attempts by the privileged to connect with a culture that they do not really understand.
In the second verse, the song takes a darker turn, where the singer warns that facing the reality of the world is no easy feat. "Right Guard will not help you here" emphasizes the idea that the brutality of the world is not something that can be masked or avoided. The chorus is a sarcastic reminder that while the people in Cambodia are living through a war and difficult conditions, for young Americans, it is merely an opportunity for a vacation. In the last line, "Where the slums got so much soul," the singer recognizes that despite the harsh conditions in the slums, they are full of life and resilience.
Line by Line Meaning
So you been to school for a year or two
You think you're experienced and know everything after a year or two in school.
And you know you've seen it all
You believe you've gained all the knowledge you need.
In daddy's car thinkin' you'll go far
You feel entitled and believe you can achieve anything with daddy's support.
Back east your type don't crawl
You come from an area where people similar to you don't succeed.
Play ethnicky jazz to parade your snazz
You try to show your sophistication by listening to exotic music.
On your five grand stereo
You spent a lot of money on your stereo.
Braggin that you know how the niggers feel cold
You claim you understand the struggles of black people.
And the slums got so much soul
You romanticize poverty and believe poor areas have a unique spirit.
It's time to taste what you most fear
You will face your greatest fears.
Right Guard will not help you here
You won't be able to rely on trivial comforts such as deodorant.
Brace yourself, my dear
Prepare yourself for what is to come.
It's a holiday in Cambodia
It may seem like fun, but in reality it will be a challenge.
It's tough kid, but it's life
It may be difficult, but that's just a part of life.
Don't forget to pack a wife
Bring a partner even if they are not prepared for the trip.
Where people dress in black
The people in Cambodia face struggle and hardship.
Where you'll kiss ass or crack
You'll have to submit to someone else or face the consequences.
Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot [etc.]
The repeated name refers to a notorious dictator who the song references.
Where you'll do what you're told
You'll have to obey others or face the consequences.
Where the slums got so much soul
You still romanticize poverty and believe that it has an intangible value.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BRUCE SLESINGER, JELLO BIAFRA, KLAUS FLOURIDE, EAST BAY RAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
J. Free
Always gets me in the holiday spirit! Thank you Mr. Cheese!
Dan Alexander
Now give us a salsa-fied cover of Police Truck.
Matthew Glover
This might be my favorite cover you've done so far. Perfect.
Matthew Mota
Classic
sinister funk
Found you when looking for Jazz Against The Machine's cover of Bombtrack and god damn I loved your stuff so much more
Scott Marsh
So many need to hear this. Sadly they won't comprehend.